Gage-reading device.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

G. 'P. DOERN. GAGE READING DEVICE.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 21, 1904.

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GAGE-READING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

A plication fil d November 21,1904. Serial No. 233,684.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. DOERN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gage-Reading Devices, ofwhich the following is a full and complete specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a device which is adapted tobe used with ullage-rods or similar rods for determining the capacity ofcasks or barrels, but is also adapted to be used with gage-rods forother purposes, and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular useset forth herein.

In determining the capacity of casks or barrels with an ordinarygage-rod the gager must estimate or guess at the point for reading therod, which should correspond with the central or medial line of thebung-hole at its intersection with the inner surface of the barrel-stave at this point. I am aware that heretofore attempts have beenmade to produce devices for accurately determining this line; but suchdevices have either been impractical or defective for various reasons.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a simple andeflicient device whereby the gager may readily determine the exact pointat which the rod should be read and may read the rod or gage while it isin position in the barrel or may remove the rod withoutdisturbing thegage reading or marking device, so that the measurement may be taken offafter the rod has been removed.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a gage-rod with my improvedreading device in position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is asectional view of a barrel, showing the gage-rod and the reading devicein operative or reading position.

As shown in the drawings, 5 represents a gage-rod which may be graduatedwith stand-- ard or other preferred graduations suitable for the desiredpurpose. The reading device comprises a sleeve or ferrule 6, which isadapted to slide freely over the rod 5 and carries or is integrallyformed with a strip 7 of resilient or spring material. This strip issecured to the sleeve 6 on the lower side or the side opposite to thatupon which the divisions of the rod are shown and is bent up at eitherend. One end terminates in a lateral hook 8, which i rests upon theupper edge of the gage-rod and extends a short distance beyond the same.At a somewhat shorter distance in the opposite direction the spring 7 isprovided with a lateral extension or offset 9, which also engages withthe upper side of the rod 5. The spring 7 is then continued for a shortdistance and terminates in a suitable hook or ring 10 for the finger ofthe operator. A set-screw 13 or equivalent device may be used forrigidly locking the reading device to the rod.

The proportion of the device is such that there is a sufficient distancebetween the sleeve 6 and the hook 8 to allow for the thickness of thebarrel-staves and for the ready reading of the gage, and the distancebetween the sleeve and the offset or lug 9 is such that when the springis allowed to press normally against the rod it will hold the devicesecurely in any desired position.

The rod and reading device are used in the following manner, which willbe readily understood in connection with Fig. 4.: The rod is inserteddiagonally through the bung-hole 1 1 of the barrel 12 until the lowerend reaches the opposite lower corner, and the reading device is sliddown until the hook 8 extends into the barrel, the upper end of thespring preferably being raised to disengage the extension or catch 9from the rod. The device is then drawn up until'the hook 8 comes incontact with the lower side of the barrelstave at the center of thebung-hole 1 1. The gage is then read and the rod inserted diagonally inthe opposite direction to obtain the second reading in the usual manner.However, if the gager desires after the hook has been brought intoengagement with the stave or inner side of the barrel at the center ofthe bung-hole he may release the outer end, so that the catch 9 willlock the device, and by slight side movement the hook 8 is re rel forreading.

I am aware that various details will readily suggest themselves ascoming within the scope of this invention, and I do not wish to limitmyself to the exact construction herein shown and described; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a gage-rod, of a reading device adjustablysecured to said rod and having a lateral hook or the like for engagementwith the inner side of the barrel at the center of the bung-holetransversely to leased and the rod then drawn from the bar-' I thelength of the barrel when said rod is in serted diagonally in a barrelor cask.

2. The combination with a gage-rod hav ing a scale thereon, of agage-reading device adjustably secured to said rod, said reading devicehaving a lateral hook or the like extending across the side of said rodhaving the scale thereon and adapted to engage with the inner side ofthe barrel at the center of the bung-hole.

3. A gage reading device comprising a sleeve or ferrule adapted toengage with a rod, a spring-strip connected with said sleeve, a lateralhook at one end of said spring-strip, a lateral catch or extension fromsaid spring on the opposite side of said sleeve from said hook, and aring or the like at the end of said spring for engagement with thefinger.

4. A gage reading device comprising a sleeve adapted to slidably engagewith a gagerod, a spring-strip secured to one side of said sleeve andhaving one end bent up and terminating in a lateral hook, said hookbeing adapted to engage with the upper edge of the rod and also with theinner side of the barrel to be gaged, the other end of said spring beingprovided with an extension or catch also adapted to engage with theupper edge of the rod, the end of said spring being bent for engagementwith the finger.

5. In a gage reading device for casks or barrels, the combination With.a gage-rod, of a lateral scalereading member adapted to engage laterallywith the inner surface of a barrel at the center of the bung-hole whenthe rod is inserted in diagonal position, and means for adjustablysecuring said reading member on said rod, the arrangement being suchthat the gage-rod may be accurately read while it is inserted in thebarrel, or the rod may be removed for reading without disturbing thegage-reading member.

6. A gage-reading device comprising a strip of suitable resilientmaterial having a hook thereon, and means for adjustably securing saidstrip to a gage-rod.

'GEORGE P. DOERN.

Witnesses:

JosEPn G. PARKINSON, M. O. SIKTBERG.

